Event has raised more than $3 mil for kid's charities

Pat O’Brien, host of “The Insider,” will emcee the gala dinner and awards show to be held at the Beverly Hilton. Now in its 23rd year, event has raised more than $3 million for children’s charities.

“Each of this year’s inductees has played a significant role in making DVD consumers’ favorite entertainment medium,” said Craig Hitchcock, group VP of Reed Business Information’s Home Entertainment Group and publisher of VB, sister publication of Daily Variety.

“Julie Andrews is a major and enduring talent,” Hitchcock continued. “Bob Chapek is responsible for the creation of some of the industry’s most innovative DVDs and for the marketing and distribution of numerous titles with record-setting sales. Target has become a leading entertainment destination through its commitment to DVD merchandising.”

Chapek became president of Disney’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment in 2000 after seven years in marketing positions at the studio. He is also prexy of the industry’s Digital Entertainment Group.

Under Chapek’s leadership, the studio has achieved record-setting sales on titles including “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Finding Nemo” and the straight-to-DVD “The Lion King 1½.” It has aggressively built its made-for-DVD business through numerous sequels to classic Disney movie franchises.

Andrews’ appeal spans four decades, during which she has starred in family movie classics including “Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music.” On Dec. 14 Buena Vista will bow two Andrews performances on DVD, with “The Mary Poppins 40th Anniversary Edition” and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” Andrews also can be heard as the voice of the Queen in “Shrek 2,” released on DVD last week.

Target’s award will be accepted by Darrell Tucker, VP and divisional merchandise manager of entertainment.

Target has grown its DVD business to become the second-largest retail outlet for many titles, according to studio execs who credit the upscale mass merchant with sophisticated merchandising of a broad range of new releases, catalog titles, special-interest titles and children’s titles in its 1,300 stores.

VB founded the Video Hall of Fame in 1981 to recognize outstanding contributors to the business of home entertainment while aiding children in need. The Hall of Fame, now with 74 inductees, benefits three charities: Variety — the Children’s Charity (not affiliated with the Variety family of publications), Fast Forward to End Childhood Hunger and the Samara Jan Turkel Foundation.